1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to water supplying systems where pressure switch settings are required, more specifically to fire sprinkler systems, and even more specifically to self-calibrating, self-testing, residential fire sprinkler systems.
2. Background of the Invention
The following description of the art related to the present invention refers to a number of publications and references similar products in the market. Discussion of such references herein is given to provide a more complete background of the scientific principles related to the present invention and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are necessarily prior art for patentability determination purposes.
The U.S. accepted standard for home fire sprinkler systems is NFPA 13D, the“Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes.” Hundreds of municipalities across the U.S. have adopted the standard promulgated by NFPA 13D. Compliance with NFPA 13D is intended to prevent life loss, injury and property damage resulting from fire events. Specifically, the standard requires at least 10 minutes of sprinkler water on a residential fire in its initial stage of development. The idea is to: (1) allow early control of the fire; (2) to provide the occupants of the dwelling time to safely escape; and (3) provide the fire abatement unit adequate time to respond. A fire at a compliant dwelling should be at least controlled and may even be extinguished by the time the fire responders arrive.
NFPA 13D only requires installation of sprinklers in “living” areas. Accordingly, the standard does not apply to smaller bathrooms or closets, food storage rooms (pantries), garages, carports or other attached open structures, attics and other concealed non-living spaces.
Under NFPA 13D, two commonly used sprinkler systems are acceptable: (1) stand-alone or independent systems; and (2) multi-purpose, combined or network systems.